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Gamecube Classics We Would Like to See On Wii U!

Nintendo has recently announced that it would be launching a HD remaster of Gamecube classic The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for Wii U before the year is out, so it’s got us thinking of which other Gamecube titles we’d like to see make a comeback, whether that’s in the form of a HD re-release or through the system’s Virtual Console service.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Often seen as the black sheep of the Mario Kart family due to it’s two car mechanic, there’s no denying that Double Dash was great fun, especially with friends. It also benefits from the series’ ever consistent track design and humour. But imagine how great it’d be with online modes implemented, keeping the same mechanic of one driver and one dishing out the punishment with weapons, but on a much larger scale. Of course, it’d also be a good way of getting people playing the series again before the recently announced Wii U Mario Kart title is released.

” Some great games were criminally underrated “

Luigi’s Mansion

The best game, by some margin, featured in Nintendo Land is Luigi’s Ghost Mansion. It erectly captures the spirit (see what I did there?) of the original, whilst providing a fun twist on it’s gameplay mechanics. Fans of the Gamecube launch game had waited patiently for almost a decade for a sequel, but Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon is set to launch on Nintendo’s 3DS console in the near future, so there’s never been a better time to re-release the original, giving those new to the series a chance to catch up, and for those eagerly anticipating the sequel a chance to relive this classic, if rather short, title.

F-Zero GX

It’s been too long since we’ve seen F-Zero, Nintendo Land appearance notwithstanding. The series managed to skip the Wii altogether which is a shame, as the latest home console release, F-Zero GX, was a cracking title, and not to mention one of the best looking games on the system. The series has always been famed for it’s futuristic aesthetic, eye bleedingly fast gameplay and focus on skill as opposed to weapons (ala Mario Kart and WipEout). Whilst fans cross their fingers for an announcement that the series will be returning on the Wii U, it’d be great to replay the Gamecube version as it’s likely to be a long wait.

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg

One of the Gamecube’s most bizarre, and criminally underrated titles, Sega’s Billy Hatcher only appeared in the one game, rolling giant eggs around gorgeous, Mario 64 inspired environments. It’s hard to sum up the title, but it’s great fun to play and has a charm all it’s own. Of course, it’s unlikely we’ll ever be seeing a sequel. The first game wasn’t well received commercially (despite the generally positive reviews that it received) and given Sega’s current fortunes it’s unlikely that they’d be taking a risk, but it’d be nice to see this forgotten hero appear again, if only for curiosity value.

Viewtiful Joe

Another of the Gamecube’s best looking titles, cel shaded side scroller Viewtiful Joe did receive a sequel back in the day, but when Clover Studios was disbanded he was all but forgotten. It’s a shame, as the games harked back to the days of the classic beat ’em up, but with a current generation splash of colour. It was hard as nails too, so those that love a challenge would certainly appreciate Joe showing his face again. As with Billy Hatcher though, the game didn’t set the world alight when it came to sales, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see a sequel, more so since the developer hasn’t been around for a while now, but Viewtiful Joe was a criminally overlooked game on it’s original release that deserves a second chance, particularly with those that enjoyed the likes of Streets of Rage and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles back in the genres golden era.

Baten Kaitos

In a bizarre spin on traditional RPG elements, Baiten Kaitos’ battle system revolved around cards. Players would use the cards in their deck to cast spells, regain health and partake in the genre conventions. The game did receive a prequel abroad, Baiten Kaitos Origins, but it never made it to UK shores. Fans of card games like Magic: The Gathering should definitely check this one out, and for those of the RPG genre it certainly provides a fresh outlook on often stale gameplay mechanics. Of course, there’s never been a better time to revive the series on the Wii U, given that the gamepad controller has a build in NFC, opening up the possibility of having tangible cards to play in the game. Imagine the possibilities!

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Last and by no means least, who could forget Super Smash Bros? I’ve invested more hours into this one than I’d like to admit and yet I’d happily do it all again. Sure, Super Smash Bros Brawl may have been bigger and better, but Melee is still great with four players, if only purely for nostalgia value. Of course, it lets us play as everyone’s favourite character Pichu. Didn’t get that in Brawl now, did you?

So what do you think? Would you like to revisit any of these classics? Have we missed any? Are there any titles you missed the first time that you’d like to try?